Bedford Blues are back at Goldington Road on Saturday afternoon, seeking the winning feeling again after a despairing display against Coventry last week left Mike Rayer’s men with one win and one defeat from their opening two games.
Matchday three is the visit of Hartpury who have the same record after an opening day defeat against Ealing was levelled up with a one-point victory over London Scottish last weekend.
Predictably, Ealing and Coventry lead the way with two victories from two, followed by Chinnor; the league’s new boys starting life well in the Championship with victory against Cambridge and a double bonus point defeat by Ampthill last time out.
It’s early days, but Mike Rayer will certainly be looking for a response from last week’s dour performance in the Midlands.
Read: Lacklustre Bedford Blues fall to heavy defeat at Coventry
Four changes
Once again, there are four changes to the side that began the eighty minutes at Coventry with a couple of new names to look out for.
The front row predictably makes up one of the starting XV changes; Jamie Jack coming in from the start while Shay Kerry will make his full debut in the pack.
Toby Cousins, who scored Bedford’s final try in their convincing opening day victory against Caldy, also comes in on the right wing while Matt Worley drops to the bench and Lucas Titherington comes back into the starting line up in the centres.
Joe Howard returns from injury but is only fit enough to be one of eight replacements while Northampton Saints’ Beltus Nonleh is also on the bench as another new face from the Saints who is in line to make his Blues debut.
Dean Adamson has reportedly returned to full-time training this week, but isn’t fit enough to make the matchday squad.
Tickets for this encounter are still available from the Bedford Blues website here, or can be bought directly from the gate at Goldington Road, with a kick off time of 3pm.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. Toby Cousins, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Alfie Garside, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Jamie Jack, 2. James Fish, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. George Smith, 5. Shay Kerry, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Fyn Brown
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Nathan Langdon, 17. Joey Conway, 18. Beltus Nonleh, 19. Archie Benson, 20. Joe Howard, 21. James Lennon, 22. Matt Worley, 23. Joel Matavesi
